Our Best Breakfast Casseroles

This versatile casserole starts with eggs, hash browns and milk. Add in whatever meats you have on hand—such as bacon or sausage—and cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese for an easy casserole that can be served at just about any meal.

Midwest Living Creative Director Geri Boesen credits her mother-in-law, Patsy, for creating this easy sausage-and-cheese brunch recipe, a popular food at family holiday gatherings. "It's nice because you can make it the day ahead and put it in the fridge overnight," Geri says.

You couldn’t ask for an easier (and more crowd-pleasing) brunch dish than our nutty make-ahead French toast. Thanks to the sugary, butterscotch-y topping, you don’t even need syrup. Balance the sweetness with a dollop of yogurt.

This brunch recipe comes from Carol Mortensen of Flossmoor, Illinois. "My husband and I began hosting brunches in 1986. This goat cheese, artichoke and smoked ham strata became our favorite brunch dish," she says. "The best part is preparing it the night before to bake in the morning."

This lighter version of a classic brunch dish uses ground turkey sausage, skim milk, light sour cream and reduced-fat cheese to cut down on fat and calories. You can make this up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate until baking.

Cream cheese is the secret ingredient in this casserole, which gets a generous topping of blueberry or maple syrup. The recipe comes from Turkey Run Inn at Turkey Run State Park in east-central Indiana.

If you're used to shaking your oatmeal out of a packet and adding hot water, you're in for a treat with this baked casserole version, flavored with brown sugar and cinnamon. Serve warm with fresh fruit, if you like.